03-18-2024

California State University, Bakersfield March 18, 2024 | Vol. 49 No. 5 thrunneronline.com

Photos provided by Minaya Valentine, Ghanzal Abbas, Rubi Zetino and Maxine Alba

CSUB introduces new ballot drop-off box with ribbon cutting ceremony

By Brittany Oceguera News Reporter

California State University, Bakersfield and Associated Students, Inc leaders hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for CSUB’s new ballot drop-off box on Feb. 14.

The ballot drop-off box is located in the Student Union patio at CSUB, making voting accessible for CSUB students, faculty, and members of the community. It will be open and under surveillance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. CSUB also provides several temporary parking spots, where anyone can park to drop off their ballot.

“When you think about being on a college campus and you think about the youth vote, you may not think that it makes a difference, but the thing is us older adults, we screw up and you’re left with those policies… here is the opportunity for you to make corrections where we didn’t get it right and we’re not getting it right,” said Dr. Jeanine Kraybill, CSUB’s department chair of political science.

“Voters between the ages of 18 to 24 are the most underrepresented among California’s voting electorate,” said interim president, Dr. Vernon B. Harper Jr.

“Between classes, work, and several jobs for many, family responsibilities and more, students are stretched often times to the breaking point”, continued Harper.

Having the ballot drop-off box on campus allows for a more convenient way for students to cast their vote and make their voices heard. The permanent ballot drop-off box was installed as part of California’s Voter’s Choice Act, making voting more accessible in California.

Taylor Thomas, vice president of legislative affairs for CSUB says that there are times when “students don’t know what’s available to them.”

Students often are not aware of the locations of ballot drop-off boxes throughout the community so “having this box on campus is such an accessible way for students to not only know that it’s there for them but to encourage them to vote as well,” said Thomas.

The Runner Staff

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ashleah Flores aflores212@csub.edu

DIGITAL EDITOR-INCHIEF

Jordan Vickers jvickers2@csub.edu

SECTION EDITORS

Melissa Jorge, Jocelynn Landon, Alexander Knaak, Elijah Callahan, Haydee Barahona

REPORTERS/ WRITERS

Evelyn Castillo, Bella Gonzalez, Marina Gonzalez,

Brittany Oceguera, Erik Ortega, April Reed, Angela Torres, Brayden Snyder, & Hector Soto

COPY EDITORS

Adriana Fimbres & Joe Bejarano

COPY CHIEF & WEBSITE

EDITOR

Chloe Blanton

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Blake Burton & Cristian Gutirerrez

SOCIAL MEDIA

DIRECTOR

Julia Cervantes

ART/GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Lily Rodriguez

PODCAST TEAM

Elijah Rosales & Jay Cortes

MULTIMEDIA TEAM

Blake Burton, Flor Bautista, & Yandi Dominguez

MARKETING TEAM

Ashlie Ryan & Ramazan Razagov

BUSINESS MANAGER

Fahdima Sultana

ASI president, Daisy Alamillo, agrees that the location of the drop box is convenient, “especially for a housing student.”, meaning a student who lives on campus in the dorms.

“With the convenience of the permanent ballot box here on campus, we are hoping that it would be more convenient for our students to just drop it off, so we are hoping more student engagement regarding voting,” said Alamillo.

Having the ballot drop-off box placed at CSUB “reinforces the vital role that students play in shaping the future of our democracy,” said Aimee X. Espinoza, Kern County’s registrar of voters.

Espinoza assures that the ballot dropoff box is always under surveillance and

TRANSLATORS

Jacquelin Garcia Garcia, Adrian Rodriguez

FACULTY ADVISOR

John Harte jharte@csub.edu

TRANSLATION TEAM

FACULTY ADVISOR

Dra. Gladys Gillam ggillam@csub.edu

that, “every ballot deposited here is safe and protected.”

“I want to assure everyone of the security and integrity of this box and every ballot drop-off box across Kern County,” said Espinoza.

Espinoza reminds those who have not registered to vote yet that the last day to register for the presidential primary election is Feb. 20, or you can conditionally register in person up to primary election day. The deadline to drop off a ballot at a ballot box, the mail, a polling site, or Espinoza’s office is election day, March 5.

Approaching election day, “Every Wednesday during Runner Hour, from 12 to 1pm, on the Student Union Patio, ASI will be here and available to register students to vote,” said Thomas.

“We are hoping with ASI we’re able to create more civically engaged events, where students can learn about the importance of voting and the importance of making sure that your vote counts on next year’s election,” said Alamillo.

Kern County Supervisor, David Couch challenged everyone to “vote as though your vote is the one that will decide each and every race each and every day.”

He explains that this means two things, voting, and getting to know the candidates you are voting for in order to be an educated voter.

Contact Brittany Oceguera (boceguera@csub.edu)

THE RUNNER

California State University, Bakersfield 9001 Stockdale Highway Bakersfield, CA 93311-1099

ABOUT US

The Runner is a laboratory newspaper published daily online with a monthly printed edition and PDF e-edition, in conjunction with the Department of Communications at CSU Bakersfield.

CONTACT US

Send corrections requests, letters to the editor, op-ed submissions and press releases to runner@csub.edu. Send advertising inquiries to jharte@csub.edu.

DISCLAIMERS

Views and opinions expressed in The Runner are not necessarily those of the editors, staff or the Department of Communications. The staff of The Runner reserve the right to refuse or omit any advertising or material which advocates illegal activity, or which may be considered libelous, irresponsible or tasteless.

COPYRIGHT

Copyright belongs to the Department of Communications at CSU Bakersfield.

Photo by Blake Burton / The Runner ASI president Daisy Alamillo joined by Kern County Elections Office officials on Feb. 14.

Leading Ladies: An inside look into four Bakersfield women making change on campus and beyond

By:Jocelynn Landon, Features Editor, April Reed, Features Writer, Izabella Gonzalez, Features Writer and Angela Torres, Features Writer

Minya Valentine: Encourging and supporting her community

From being homecoming queen for three years in a row, a public speaker at various events at California State University, Bakersfield, Minaya Valentine is constantly advocating and representing all sorts of communities.

“I feel very connected with everything that I’m involved in. A lot of it hits things that I’m passionate about”, said Valentine.

Beyond her stellar achievements such as student assistant for equity and student compliances for the office of the President, Black Women on Campus liaison, student ambassador for Black Faculty and Staff Association, and a student intern for Student Quality Education, Valentine finds the stories within everyone she meets.

Valentine explains how while working as a student assistant for the food pantry, she did more than just provide food services. She was able to hear their stories and as a result has been able to connect, advocate, and represent her fellow Roadrunners.

Valentine also mentors, speaks words of affirmations, and shares her story with all the members within BWOC.

She recently hosted an open forum for BWOC, “How to Present Yourself as a Woman of Color in a Professional Setting,” resulting in being asked to host a discussion during black history month for “Get that Job Right.”

Valentine’s personal experience of being a first-generation college student and thrifting her way to professionalism, is how she speaks up for so many people and hosts workshops from the knowledge she received from those she has networked with.

“Seek your purpose. As women… we are courageous, we’re strong. I love the fact that we’re able to be so many things, we don’t have to fit in one category”,

Reinventing Success: How Rubi Zetino balances profit and passion

“I think that business is very personal,” said Rubi Zetino with her chin up.

Zetino isn’t afraid to mix business with pleasure. As owner of the ultramodern workspace, Charizma Studio, mixing the two has been the driving force for her career from the start, even when it came to figuring out the next steps of her creative venture back in 2007.

“What would even entice me or tell me I could pick up a camera? I have no idea,” Zetino said.

Zetino had pitched the idea of starting a photography studio to her husband, Jimmy Zetino, who was rather perplexed considering she had never used a camera before. Nevertheless, he was supportive of her decision.

“I wouldn’t have been able to discover myself if it wasn’t for my husband. He gave me so much room,” said Zetino. Zetino took that unwavering support into her work life as she integrated her growing photography business with brand development. While she was building her own brand, she felt her knowledge needed to be shared.

“I started realizing my passion for getting people seen and heard for what they really do and who they really are,” said Zetino.

From giving tips and tricks on how to grow a client’s Instagram account to curating the perfect layout for their website, Zetino has helped those in Bakersfield find their identity - even when hers is ever-evolving.

As a neighbor in the thriving community on 18th Street, Zetino has found herself as an active member in town. Zetino has been featured on the local podcast, Hello Bakersfield, and has collaborated on the Blue Zone Project with councilmember, Andrae Gonzales.

She will be a speaker at The Bakersfield Women’s Business Conference happening in April of 2024.

Maxine Alba: Showing up for herself and

her roots

Maxine Alba is a first-generation immigrant from the Philippines. She came here to California State, Bakersfield and started making a name for herself in the influencer space. As a Pre-Health nursing major, she discovered a hobby she didn’t know she had after coming to the United States three years ago.

During the peak of the coronavirus is where her love and interest in the influencer space started. By consuming various media on TikTok, she thought maybe she could do it too. It wasn’t until 2023 where she really put forth the effort to start her journey into the world of content creation.

She first started on CSUB’s dance team, where she was encouraged to start posting Get Ready with Me’s for the team, and that’s where she learned she had a knack for it.

“With all the support I saw from friends and the spirit squad, their support really motivated and helped me.” Said Alba.

Following that, she started tabling brands on campus via reaching out such as Albertson’s, then Amazon Prime Student, then most recently Fenty Beauty.

She hopes to explore the world of content creating more and show more glimpses into her interests, her nursing, and who she is.

“Being able to represent the Philippines is such a big deal for me. To have that motivation, to show people how we do things.” said Alba.

Ghanzal Abbas: Creating space for students

Licensed mental health therapist Ghazal Abbas at California State University, Bakersfield speaks of her hopes and goals as a therapist and CSUB counselor.

Abbas hopes to make students comfortable enough to share and unravel the emotions they carry within themselves and have no where to express them.

When students walk into the center Abbas wants to “make sure the students feel seen in my room for whatever they’re going through.”

She shared how she wants any student that comes to visit her to feel the reality of their emotions while with her but also to leave their hardships behind.

“Letting that weight be alive in the room but also taking it off here and being real about how it feels.” Abbas feels an importance in therapy and receiving emotional help to be normalized.

“My biggest goal is to help destigmatize mental healthy therapy and receiving counseling,” said Abbas.

Coming from a community and culture that looks down on receiving emotional help from a professional, she really understands the reality of struggling with the stigma with therapy.

Photo Provided by Minya Valentine

April Reed / The Runner Portrait of Rubi Zetino

Photo Provided by Maxine Alba

Photo Provided by Ghanzal Abbas

Pawsitive Changes: pet-friendly campus community at Cal State Bakersfield

Last summer, I was gifted a kokoni puppy, who I eventually named Cooper. I was excited and nervous about raising him, especially since he was gifted so unexpectedly. I spent the majority of my summer with Cooper, making sure he was being well taken care of and given enough attention to. I quickly realized how much it takes to properly take care of a dog and worried about how I would manage school and caring for Cooper at the same time.

As the date got closer for Fall 2023 classes to begin, I began to think about what would happen to Cooper while I was in school. Who would feed him? Who would clean up after him? Is he really going to be left alone for 5-8 hours a day? He was too small and young to be left alone for long periods of time and I worried if I would be able to keep him.

I began to look at Cal State Bakersfield’s website to see if there was anything about some form of pet care. Unfortunately, I did not find anything other than childcare services for students who have children. I ultimately ended up leaving Cooper with my parents, who cared for him while I attended my classes.

From this situation, I began to think about how remarkable and beneficial it would be if CSUB offered some form of pet care for students who own pets. For many of us, our pets are our children, and we strive to give them a joyful life.

Katherine Parra,

a senior

By: Evelyn Castillo Opinions Writer

majoring in english, said, “I think having pet care at CSUB would be great, especially for students that live alone and don’t have anyone to care for their pets while at school or work. I think students would definitely use this support because it takes away one less worry.”

Parra’s sentiments reflect a need among students who worry

about their pets in their absence. By having a service dedicated to pet care, CSUB would create a supportive campus environment for its students.

Salvatore Gutierrez, a senior majoring in computer science, adds his support to this idea.

“I have a cat that is home alone for up to 8 hours each day. If CSUB had pet care, I do

believe students would use it and it would be very helpful for students who worry about their pets being left alone. It would be comforting to know that our pets are just a few steps away from us and being taken care of and given attention to,” said Gutierrez.

Students like Gabriela Flores, a senior majoring in english and studio arts, explained how it would be necessary for there to be trained individuals caring for the pets.

“My dogs stay home alone for three hours each day because everyone is working or at school. I think students would benefit from this, but I would also be scared CSUB would not take care of my animals. If CSUB has someone who was trained, I would be completely fine with it,” said Flores.

I completely agree with Flores’s statement of having trained individuals, as this will ensure that there are knowledgeable caregivers who can properly attend to the pets and manage any unforeseen situations that may arise.

Including a service for pet care would be a process to achieve. However, the end result would be immensely rewarding for CSUB’s community and our furry companions. CSUB would be fostering a more supportive and inclusive campus community, by providing assistance and peace of mind to those of us who view our companions as family members.

Photo by Evelyn Castillo / The Runner

Photo of Evelyn Castillo’s dog, Cooper

Modestas Kancleris from Kaunis, Lithuania, brings a powerful sense of self-discovery off the basketball court. Playing forward, with a height of 6’9 for the Cal State University, Bakersfield basketball team, Kancleris aims to end the season with determination.

“I hope to finish the season strong and to go big in the Big West Tournament,” Kancleris said.

Kancleris’s hobbies outside the court include, playing FIFA, table tennis, and listening to a variety of music like rap and pop from Lithuania as well as America.

His passion to play ball developed during his upbringing in Lithuania; a passion that came from childhood experiences that assisted him in his pursuit of love for the game.

“Lithuania is a big basketball country and from day one, I started to play

Profile: Modestas Kancleris

Hector Soto Sports Writer

outside with friends. My big brother used to play basketball, who set everything up for me. From the beginning, I had love and passion for it,” he said.

When it comes to mentors, he said there is a high level of influence that can transfer from player to player. However, the late legendary Kobe Bryant from the Los Angeles Lakers rises from Kancleris’s inspiration.

“Kobe Bryant was the first one I looked up to and he was a big reason why I fell in love with basketball. At ten years old, I would wake up late at night to watch some of his games in Europe,” he said.

Bryant is a skill set that Kancleris hopes to develop in his career as a basketball player.

With the season almost at an end, Kancleris prioritizes his time for family, teammates, and the National team. While determined to leave behind his own legacy for the next generation of players, his own philosophy of treating others transcends beyond the court.

“In Lithuania we have a saying, ‘how you going to scream, that’s how they are going to answer,’ which means how you talk to people, that’s how they are going to answer,” he said.

as athleticism and emotion for the game that can ultimately lead him to a sense of self-discovery.

Kancleris says, “this season changed a lot, like in figuring out myself and it’s a process.”

He brings forth an in-depth look towards his goals and mindset that will help the CSUB Roadrunners become more dominant in future games.

Contact Hector Soto (hsoto1@csub.edu)

The mindset of thriving under pressure like Kobe

Concurrently, he wishes to pursue a career in professional basketball by utilizing his strengths such

Photo Gallery: Homecoming 2024

Maxine Alba & Diana Vega smile after being crowned homecoming royalty. Photo by Blake Burton/The Runner

‘Runners play as cheerleaders cheer them on. Photo by Elijah Callahan/The Runner

‘Runners on the bench discussing their next play. Photo by Elijah Callahan/The Runner

Chinazo Okey-Dike & Minaya Valentine hold flowers and share smiles after being crowned homecoming royalty. Photo by Blake Burton/The Runner

Photos by Blake Burton/ Photo Director

Photos by Elijah Callahan/Sports Editor

Homecoming court and CSUB faculty posing for photos after crownings. Photo by Blake Burton/The Runner.